The class of linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon is known in the art. An early production was by Nozaki, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,412. More recently, this class of linear alternating polymers, now becoming known as polyketones or polyketone polymers, has become of greater interest in part because of the greater availability of the polymers. The more recent processes for the production of such polymers typically involve a catalyst composition formed from a compound of a Group VIII metal selected from palladium, cobalt or nickel, the anion of a strong non-hydrohalogenic acid and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus, arsenic or antimony. These processes are illustrated by Van Broekhoven et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,843,144 and 4,880,903.
The resulting polymers are relatively high molecular weight materials having established utility as premium thermoplastics. The polyketone polymers are processed by methods conventional for thermoplastics such as extrusion, injection molding and thermoforming into a variety of shaped articles such as containers for food and drink and parts and housings for automotive applications. For some particular applications, however, it has been found to be desirable to have properties which are somewhat different from those of the polyketone polymer. It would be of advantage to retain the more desirable properties of the polyketone polymers and yet improve other properties, for example, the tensile strength.
One proposal for obtaining polyketone polymers of greater tensile strength is through the use of an internal reinforcement. A copending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 289,157, filed Dec. 23, 1988, discloses the production of reinforced polyketone polymers wherein the reinforcement is in the form of glass fibers. The success of glass fibers as a reinforcement depends in part upon the compatibility of the glass with the polymer. The compatibility in turn often depends upon the coating or sizing applied to the glass prior to incorporation into the reinforced polymer. It would be of advantage to provide for glass fiber reinforced polyketone polymers of improved properties by having a particular sizing on the fibers.